AUSTIN, Texas—More than 1,155 Distinguished College Scholars and 4,787 College Scholars will be honored Saturday, April 8, at the 58th Annual Honors Day celebration at The University of Texas at Austin.
In recognition of those honored at the program, the Tower lighting on April 8 will be configured to represent academic achievement. The main body of the Tower will be illuminated in orange and the top portions crowned in white.
Honors Day activities will be divided into two ceremonies in the Nancy Lee and Perry R. Bass Concert Hall. The first ceremony at 10 a.m. will honor Distinguished College Scholars and College Scholars from the School of Architecture, McCombs School of Business, College of Education, Jackson School of Geosciences, College of Liberal Arts and the School of Nursing. The second ceremony at 2 p.m. will honor Distinguished College Scholars and College Scholars from the College of Communication, College of Engineering, College of Fine Arts, College of Natural Sciences, College of Pharmacy and School of Social Work.
Introduced in 1948, Honors Day is the occasion when students who have achieved academic excellence are honored by administrative officials, academic deans and members of the faculty. It serves as an important prelude to Commencement. The Honors Day Convocation includes an academic procession, presentation of medallions to Distinguished College Scholars by academic deans, inspirational messages and celebratory music. Faculty guests join student honorees in the procession and are seated next to them at the convocation. The University of Texas Trombone Choir will present the music for the occasion and all participating students will receive orange and white honors cords provided by the University Co-op.
To be designated a College Scholar, a student must be registered as an undergraduate and have a grade-point average of at least 3.50. Distinguished College Scholars are undergraduates with an in-residence university grade point average of at least 3.80. Scholars in both categories also must meet other criteria to qualify for participation in the Honors Day program.
The 2006 Honors Day Convocation address will be delivered by Duy-Loan T. Le, an electrical engineering graduate of The University of Texas at Austin who is a senior fellow and advanced technology ramp manager at Texas Instruments in Houston. Le, who emigrated from Vietnam in 1975, was graduated valedictorian of her class at age 16 from Houston’s Alief Hastings High School. She is a 2003 Outstanding Young Texas Ex and an Outstanding Young Graduate of the College of Engineering. Le also has served as a member of the university’s Commission of 125.
For more information contact: Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847.
